Cam lever actuated pivoted jaw wrench



July 12, 1949.

( v. s. W ET AL 2,475,866 CAM LEVER ACTUATED PIVOTED JAW WRENCH FiledAug. 2, 1946 Fig.E.

l I l l l l l dilorneq.

Patented July 12, 1949 UNITED smr ATENT OFFICE 351M LEVER ACTUATEDPIVOTED JAW WRENCH Vincent 8. Ward and Gordon K. Hurlbut, Binghamton, N.Y.,

assignors to B. M. C. Manufacturing Corporation, Binghamton, N. Y., acorporation of New York i Claims.

This invention relates to tools, and more particularly to wrenches soconstructed as to permit easy manipulation and use.

Most wrenches in use at the present time are provided with adjustingmeans, generally consisting of a threaded element, which must be rotatedto adjust the jaws of the wrench to cause them fit various sizes of nutsor other objects intended to be gripped between the jaws. One of theobjects of the present invention is to provide a wrench in whichthreaded or other similar jaw-adjusting means is dispensed with, and thejaws are adjusted to accommodate them to nuts or other objects ofdifferent sizes by merely squeezing the jaws toward one another to fitthe selected nut and then, by the fingers of the hand which is grippingthe tool, moving a locking lever to hold the jaws in the position ofadjustment so obtained.

Another object of the invention is'to provide a wrench, operative asabove described, which is of simple construction, which has relativelyfew parts, and which will withstand the use and abuse to which a tool ofthis character is generally subjected.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tool of thischaracter intended for onehanded adjustment and operation, enabling thetool to be fitted around a nut or the like; gripped to cause the tool toadapt itself to the particular nut engaged, then used to tighten orloosen the nut, and then freed from the nut, all of these actions beingperformed by the hand of the operator in which the wrench is being held.

These and other objects are attained by the invention, a more particulardescription of which will hereinafter appear and be set forth in theclaims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed, 1 is a side elevation of a wrench constructed inaccordance with the invention, the jaws of the tool being shown in apartly open position. Fig. 2 is a side view of the wrench, with oneplate of each of the jaw frames being removed to disclose interiorparts, and parts being shown in section; Fig. 3 is an edge View of thewrench, looking from the left of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a sectional viewon the line l-A of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

With reference to the drawing, I generally indicates the outer framemember or fixed frame of the wrench, the same, in the form shown,consisting of a pair of sheet-metal face plates 3 and 4., each of whichis provided with a laterally-bent flange 5, extending for a portion ofits rear, said flanges 5 coming together at the rear of the tool, asshown in Fig. 4, thereby forming the outer or fixed frame member I intochannel shape, also as clearly seen in Fig. 4.

The inner or movable frame 2 of the tool is somewhat similar in shapeand construction to the outer frame member I, in that it is composed oftwo sheet-metal face plates 5 and l flanged as shown at 8, and with saidflanges 8 coming together at the forward edge of the frame member 2, asclearly seen in Fig. 3. The arrangement is such that the frame member 2fits, and is s1idable within, the outer frame member I. The lower end ofthe inner frame member 2 is pivoted between the walls or face plates 3and i of the frame member I by means of a shouldered pin I3, said pinhaving the shoulders It to hold the sides of the inner frame member inproperly spaced relation. By means of this construction, the two framesI and. 2 are movable toward one another to thereby bring the jawsprovided on them into operative gripping position in a manner to bedescribed.

The jaw on the outer frame member I is composed of a solid insert 9located between and constituting a spacer for the face plates 3 and i,said jaw being provided with the serrated gripping face II. Rivets I2,or other equivalent fastening elements, hold the jaw insert 9 in place.The inner frame 2 is also provided with a jaw portion I0, similar tothat shown at 9, and also provided with the gripping face I I.

Rotatively mounted on a pin I6 between the face plates 6 and I of theinner frame member 2, is a segmentally-shaped ratchet wheel I5, saidratchet being provided with the stud portions II extending from itsopposite faces, these studs being movable in arcuate slots I9 formed inthe face plates 6 and I. The studs H are also located invertically-disposed slots I8 formed in the face plates 3 and 4 of theouter frame member, the latter slots extending transversely of thearcuate slots I9, as noted in Fig. 1.

A coil spring 20 has one end attached to a lug 22 on the jaw insert It,and has its other end fastened to a portion of the ratchet I5, asindicated at 2|. The pin-and-slot arrangement heretofore described, andconsisting of the studs l'l disposed in the arcuate slots I9 andstraight slots I8, is such that when the two jaw-frames I and 2 aremoved toward one another or swung away from one another, the segmentalratchet I5 will be rotated. The open position of the jaws of the wrenchis substantially that shown in Fig. 2,

3 the jaws being normally maintained in that position by means of thespring 20, at such times when the locking means for the ratchet,consisting of a sliding pawl 23 and a locking lever 28 are in releasedposition.

The pawl 23 is provided with a slot 42 fitting around a pin 25 securedbetween the walls or face plates 6 and 7 of the inner frame member 2.

Sliding movement of the pawl 23 toward the end attached at 32 to theface plate i, and its d other end is attached as at 33' to the pawl 23.Said spring tends'to hold the end of the pawl 23 against the cam surface21. A guide pin 34 directs the pawl 23 in' its vertical sliding movementand prevents it from being pulled sid'ewise under the pull of the spring3|.

From the foregoing, the operation of the improved wrench will be readilyunderstood. The tool is shown in its open position in Fig. 2, wherein itwill be noted that the locking lever 23 has been swung outwardly to suchan extent as to enable the pawl 23 to be drawn downwardly by the spring3| to have its end 25 located away from and disengaged from the ratchet15. This is the free position of the wrench and while the parts are inthis position, the tool is in readiness to be applied to a nut or otherobject to be gripped between the jaws.

To' apply the wrench to the nut or other "object, the jaws are fittedabout the object and the tool is squeezed, this causing the two jaws tomove toward one another to an extent required to enable them to grip theobject between them. Since the ratchet I is disengaged from pawl 23 atthis time, the jaws readily swing toward one another to engage theobject between them. As soon as the object is gripped, the fingers ofthe hand that is holding the wrench, can be used to swing the lockinglever 28 down to its closed or locked position, as in Fig. 1. Thiscauses the cam surface 21 on lever 28 to elevate the pawl 23 and bringits end 26 into engagement with the toothed edge of the ratchet l5. Thislooks the ratchet against movement in a counter-clockwise direction,when viewed as in Figs. 1 and 2, and since the studs l'l cannot thenascend in the vertical slots IS in the outer frame member I, the twoframes I and 2 are thus locked against separating movement, and theobject will be firmly gripped between the two jaws 9 and lil. To releasethe object between the jaws, the locking lever '28 in swung to openposition, as shown in Fig. 2. This allows pawl 23 to descend under thepull of spring 3|, thus disengaging the pawl from the ratchet 15. Whenthe ratchet is thus freed, it will be drawn counter-clockwise by thepull of the spring 20, and the studs [1, operative in the slots I3 andI9, will swing the jaw frames to open position as in Fig. 2.

It will be observedthat since the ratchet may be rotated in a clockwisedirection while it is engaged by the pawl 23, the wrench may be used inanother manner. That is to say, the locking lever 28 may be swung downto closed position while the wrench has its jaws open, and with thelocking lever down, the placement of the wrench about an article to begripped is merely a matter of squeezing the wrench in the hand to closethe jaws on the nut and the jaws will remain in engaged position untilreleased by the outward swing of the locking lever 28.

From the foregoing, it will be clear that the wrench described iscapable of one-handed operation since it can be placed about a nut orother object and caused to grasp the same by merely squeezing the wrenchin the hand. The release of the wrench can be readily secured by merelyswinging the locking lever to open position, and speed and ease ofoperation of the tool is greatly facilitated.

While we have shownand described one em-- bodiment of the invention, itis obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, since variousmodifications may be readily made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. For example, in the embodiment shown, the pawl 23 isshown as being provided with a pointed extremity engaging but one tooth.To resist strain and wear on the ratchet teeth it may be found desirableto so shape the end of the pawl to enable it to engage with severalteeth on the ratchet. This and other changes are deemed as being withinthe scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1 In a wrench of the character described, an outer jaw frame ofsubstantially channel shape and including a pair of side walls, an innerframe also of channel shape and having side walls, the inner framefitting within the outer frame and pivoted at one end of the same, theends of the frames remote from the pivot being provided with jawportions, a ratchet wheel rotatively mounted within the inner frame andbetween the walls of the same, said ratchet wheel havinglaterallyextending stud portions, the walls of the inner frame beingprovided with arcuate slots in which said studs ride, the walls of theouter frame being each provided with a slot extending transversely ofthe arcuate slots, the studs riding in the slots in the walls of theouter frame, a pawl carried by the inner frame, means tending to holdsaid pawl disengaged from the ratchet wheel, and manually-operated meansfor urging the pawl into engagement with the ratchet.

' 2. A wrench as provided for in claim 1, wherein the pawl is slidablymounted between the walls of the inner frame, the means for holding thepawl disengaged from the ratchet consisting of a spring for urging thepawl away from the ratchet, and means for urging the pawl intoengagement with the ratchet consisting of a pivoted lever mounted on theinner frame and having a cam surface operative against the pawl.

3. In a wrench of the character described, a pair of channelled frames,one of which is fitted inside of the other, the inner frame beingpivoted adjacent to one of its ends to the outer frame, the frames eachhaving a jaw portion at one of its ends, a ratchet wheel rotativelymounted between the walls of the inner frame, a sliding, slotted pawlcarried by the inner frame and slidable to and from the ratchet, aspring attached to the pawl and tending to draw the same from engagementwith the ratchet, a locking lever pivoted on the inner frame and havinga cam surface operative against the pawl to move the pawl intoengagement with the ratchet wheel, the ratchet wheel being provided withlaterallyextending stud portions, the walls of the inner frame beingprovided with arcuate slots in which said studs are located, the wallsof the outer frame being provided with slots in which said studs arelocated, the latter slots extending transversely of the arcuate slots,and. spring means connected to the ratchet wheel and tending to causethe same to hold the jaws apart when the locking lever is in inoperativeposition.

4. In a wrench of the character described, a pair of pivotally connectedjaw frames, the pivot for said frames being located adjacent to one endof said frames, a ratchet wheel rotatively carried by one of the frames,a pawl carried by and slidably mounted in the same frame, a springtending to hold the pawl away from the ratchet wheel, said spring havingone end attached to the pawl and its other end attached to the frame onwhich the pawl is carried, a cam lever for urging the pawl intoengagement with the ratchet wheel in opposition to the pull of thespring, said cam lever being pivotally mounted on the frame on which thepawl is located, one of the frames having arcuate slots, the other framehaving slots extending transversely of the arcuate slots, the ratchetwheel carrying a pin extending through all of the slots whereby the jawmembers can be moved either toward or away from one another when thepawl is disengaged from the ratchet wheel and can be moved only towardone another when the pawl is held in engagement with the ratchet wheelby the cam lever.

VINCENT IS. WARD.

GORDON K. HURLBUT.

REFERENCES CITED The following referemces are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

